The Rival Who Pushed Me Forward
by Aquila Aqua
Summary: Kanai Makoto is the childhood rival and probably the only person who can match Kojou Asuka in an LBX battle. However, he is also one of the biggest influence in her life and why she looks and acts tomboyish and the reason why she loves LBXs. Eventual Asukaxoc. May have some ooc-ness on Asuka and Takeru's part when they're kids.


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Danball Senki.**

 **This is a one shot explaining one of my side OC Kanai Makoto who appeared in the Artemist arc of Hunt for the Element Stones and mentioned in Valentine's Day Special. There may or may not be a second chapter but I won't be putting too much effort into it.**

* * *

"Makoto!" A seven year old Asuka yelled as she stormed around the park. The boy had the nerve to push her into a puddle of mud. Now her clothes were covered in mud.

"What's with all the shouting, Asuki?" An eight year old dark hair boy with ocean green eyes drawled as he stepped out from behind the slide.

"It's Asuka!" Asuka pouted and stamped her feet. "You made me all muddy!"

Makoto sighed and shoveled his hands into his pockets while muttering to himself. "I don't get it why girls are so fussy about their appearances." In a louder voice, he mocked, "Whatever you say, Asaka. What's the point of being young if you can't even stand being dirty? You really are a girly girl."

Asuka fumed and was going to yell at him again for getting her name wrong again when her mother came over and started fussing over her soiled clothes.

"Asuka, what have you been doing?" She cried in horror. "I leave you for thirty minutes and you got your new sundress all muddied!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Asuka protested and pointed at Makoto. "It was…"

"Oh, nice to see you Ms. Kojou." Makoto smiled innocently. "I was just playing with Asuka just now. I better go home now before my mom gets worried."

"Ah, thank you for playing with her." Asuka's mother smiled at him and placed a hand on a squirming Asuka. "You better get going now. But you can come over to our home anytime to play with Asuka."

"Eh!?" Asuka could not believe her ears. Was her mother really asking her worst nightmare over!?

"Thank you. I'll ask my mom, but I'm sure she'll let me visit." Makoto flashed a smile that would make mothers easily mistaken him for an angelic child but Asuka knew better. She huffed and allowed her mother to drag her all the way back home while tolerating her mother's scolding's on getting her dress dirty. She cocked her head behind her and saw Masako waving at her before heading back to his house.

'That cheeky monkey!' She silently fumed.

At the same time, Masako was smiling to himself at his interaction with Asuka that day. 'She's an interesting kid, that hot-blooded girl.'

* * *

Later that night, Asuka mulled over Makoto's mocking words. Her fist curled up at the way he teased her for being so careful with appearance. She dug into her cupboard of clothes and her faces twisted in disgust at all of the dresses and skirts.

'Maybe Makoto is right.' She begrudgingly admitted. 'All I have here are skirts and dresses. I really am a girly girl. But mama would not let me throw away all these clothes or cut my hair.'

"Asuka, are you awake?" Her father asked as he peaked into her room.

"Daddy." Asuka ran over and hugged his legs. "Am I a girly girl?"

Asuka's father raised an eyebrow and made her sit on her bed. "What made you ask that sweetie?"

"Makoto said that I am." Asuka pouted.

Her father blinked. "Masako as in our neighbor down the block Kanai Makoto?"

Asuka nodded and he chuckled. "Sweetie, there's nothing wrong with you being a girly girl. Although I was hoping for a boy before you were born, I'm glad that I have you and now your brother."

Asuka was about to pout when an idea came into her mind. She smiled and whispered something into her father's ear. He smiled back and nodded. "Alright, I'll help you. But go to bed now. You have school tomorrow."

As on cue, Asuka yawned. "Hai."

Her father tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams sweetie." He quietly left her room after turning off the lights.

Once he closed the door behind him, Asuka opened her eyes and grinned. 'No more girly girl me.'

XXXXX

Asuka's mother refused to believe her eyes when she went over the clothes her husband and Asuka bought during that weekend. They were all _boy's clothes_ for goodness sake!

"Honey, what is the meaning of this?" She cracked when she found her voice.

"Asuka wanted to try something new." He shrugged. "I'm going to take her out to get a haircut too later."

"Wait!" She quickly grabbed his arm. "Are you just going to make her become a tomboy?"

"She wanted to be a tomboy." He shrugged again. "You got to admit, she's got a lot of fire that makes it impossible for her to act like a proper lady."

Asuka's mother reluctantly admitted that he had a point, but still…

"But she's still a girl!" She waved her arms. "At least let her hair grow out."

"You have to persuade her." He held up his hands. "Because you know how dead set Asuka can be to get her way once she makes up her mind."

Asuka's mother pouted but knew that she would have a hard time convincing her daughter.

* * *

A few weeks later, Makoto had a huge shock when he visited Asuka like her mother said he could. Asuka was dressed in boy's shorts and a plain white t-shirt but the thing that surprised him the most was the way she changed her way of speech from talking like her mother to talking like a boy.

"Oi Makoto." Asuka smirked when she saw him. They were currently at the backyard playing at the sandpit which was originally set up for Takeru.

"Asuka, what happened to you?" Makoto blinked. He was too shocked to even remember to tease her by saying her name wrong.

"What's wrong with me?" Asuka blinked.

"…Nothing." Makoto finally managed to say.

"Nee-chan!" Takeru called as he ran over. "I want to play too!"

"Sure! Let's play 'Burry Makoto in the sand'!" Asuka yelled with a large grin.

Makoto held up his hands in defense and let out a yelp as he tried to run away as the two hurled sand at him. "Hey! Stop it!"

"Not until you call uncle!"

"Call uncle!" Takeru cried excitedly, jumping up and down.

"No way!" Makoto grinned, bending down and scooped up some sand and threw it at them.

Takeru squealed and ducked behind Asuka, leaving her to take the brunt of the sand attack. She let out a yell but had a mischievous glint in her eyes. She grabbed a shove lying around and used it to fling more sand at Makoto.

"Yikes!" Makoto quickly jumped aside to avoid the sand. He stared at Asuka for a moment and grinned. "Not so girly girl now, huh?"

"Yup. Thanks to you." Asuka grinned and grabbed the hose. "Takeru, let's make some mud balls!"

"Yay, nee-chan!" Takeru was about to hop out of the sandpit when arms grabbed him from behind.

"Asuka, if you throw even one mud ball at me, your brother gets it!" Makoto yelled as he held up Takeru as a shield.

"Makoto!" Asuka roared and tackled him and Takeru to the ground.

"Ouch!" Makoto groaned while Takeru wiggled out of the body sandwich. Asuka flipped him over and trapped his hands in a vice grip.

"Call uncle!"

"Do I have to?" Makoto groaned again.

"Call uncle! Call uncle!" Takeru jumped in front of him.

"Fine, Uncle!"

Asuka grinned triumphantly and go off him. Makoto grunted as he sat up, rubbing his back. A wicket idea came to him and he whispered at Takeru. "Takeru, wanna play a game call 'Tickle Asuka'?"

Takeru blinked and then giggled at the idea, nodding his head furiously.

A sense of dread arose in Asuka as she backed away, seeing the glint in both boy's eyes. "What are you planning?"

"To…tickle nee-chan!" Takeru exclaimed as he pounded her and proceeded to tickle her with Makoto following him soon.

"AH!" Asuka cried and tried to push them off. "Stop it!"

"Not until you call uncle." Makoto smirked.

"Makoto!"

* * *

"Are you sure that it's a good idea to let Asuka be a tomboy." Asuka's mother wondered out loud to her husband. "Look at them." She gestured at the window. "They're roughhousing."

"It's fine." Asuka's father shrugged. "A little roughhousing won't do them any harm. Makoto is a good playmate for both Asuka and Takeru, I'll say as much."

Asuka's mother shook her head in disappointment and could only hope that her daughter would grow out of this tomboy business sooner or later.


End file.
